Hometown Snow Down!

I love Montana!

shhRed Lodge - Best pow in the Rockies from Bomb Snow Magazine on Vimeo.

"The Wire" Monopoly Board

"The Wire" Monopoly Board:
I have literally never wanted anything more than I want this. Someone at Parker Brothers better make this a reality. Tagline: It's all in the game.

Via: flavorpill

Not Only Did This Happen, It Happened Here

So This Happened of the Day:

So This Happened of the Day: The President and First Lady chat up ubiquitous actor Bill Murray ahead of today’s Tigers-Beavers game at Towson University. (Associated Press Fun Fact: “Obama’s brother-in-law, Craig Robinson, is Oregon State’s head coach.”) They’re lucky the AP’s Patrick Semansky snapped this photo, otherwise no one would have believed them. [ap / h/t: @alex_ogle.]

Here's To Montana Girls, Everywhere: SV Edition

Sarah Vowell Tells Us About the True Meaning of the Day After Thanksgiving

The Daily Show with Jon Stewart
Get More: Daily Show Full Episodes,Political Humor & Satire Blog,The Daily Show on Facebook

Sarah Vowell, history geek humorist extraordinaire (and the voice of Violet Incredible), has a very important lesson on history that we have probably never really acknowledged in our lifetimes. As she described on The Daily Show — as its newly minted Senior Historical Context Correspondent — November 25 is Evacuation Day, the day that British troops finally left New York after the end of the Revolutionary War after imprisoning American POWs in prison ships where many, many, many of them died and/or ate maggots to survive. But the good news is that, as we all know, the British finally left in 1783, years after the signing of the Declaration of Independence and those surviving prisoners were freed! Some of us will be taking advantage of sales this Black Friday. But some of us will be celebrating history by not eating maggots.

(via Time)

Occupy Karl Rove's Speech: Who Knew Karl Rove Was Even in Town?

Occupy Baltimore Interrupts Karl Rove Speech:
To the GOP braniac's credit, he had the cohones to not leave the stage and snap back at the protesters ( unlike Scott Walker ). Best line of the night: “This is actually the most fun you can have on a Tuesday in Baltimore.”

Via: reuters.com

NFL Searching For Any Unused Harbaughs

NFL Searching For Any Unused Harbaughs: NEW YORK—After noting the respectable performance of Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh and the excellent record of San Francisco 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh, the National Football League announced Tuesday it is actively seeking any and all...

Go Ravens!

Montana Hutterite colony subject of new documentary

Montana Hutterite colony subject of new documentary: GREAT FALLS — A National Geographic crew is filming a
documentary about a Hutterite colony in central Montana, hoping to
give viewers an inside look at one of the country's most
misunderstood people.

I've tired to explain this community to people here in the East.

"Oh, so like the Amish?"

"No, they use modern conveniences, but the do speak their own dialect of German."

"Oh, so like Mennonites?"

"Hmmm... they kinda dress like that, but they also like to party."

Let's see if National Geographic can do a better job of explaining than I can. I think they have a good chance.

Behold: Future Alum of Montana State Univeristy

The Great Infestation of 2011

After my recent trip to the great Brick City, aka Newark, NJ, I kinda feel like Frank McCourt in Angela’s Ashes just without the Consumption, hopelessly alcoholic and absent father, and starvation.  Hopefully I left all my new friends, the bed bugs, in Newark.  However, I think I am forever damaged by this experience that can only be described as fucking gross.

Some facts about bed bugs:

• The first person to get bit will continue to be the BB’s preference and they will continue to feed from that person. 
• They will choose hairless skin over skin with hair, and prefer the scent of women--another example of male privilege in our society.
• Bed bugs will make you feel like you losing your mind.
• Bed bugs are nearly impossible to eradicate.
• Bed bugs are fucking gross.

If you want to see the pics... you can see it here (warning it's fucking gross).

Best Local Baltimore Story in While

Although I originally saw this on the local news, I was pretty excited to see it also featured on Gizmodo:

Feuding Women Inadvertently Create Toxic Gas In the Middle of a Wal-Mart

Hey, did you hear the one about the two women fighting in a Wal-Mart? It's a real gas! No, really, that's not a punchline. Two women threw ammonia and bleach at one another and created poisonous gas in a Wall-Mart:

Two woman involved in an altercation at southern Baltimore County Walmart store threw bleach and another chemical on each other, causing possible injuries for other customers on Saturday, police and fire officials said. Baltimore County Fire Department's hazardous materials units responded to the scene around 11 a.m., and at least one patient has been transported to Wilmer Eye Clinic, spokesman Glenn Blackwell said in an email. Two additional people were taken to Baltimore Washington Medical Center, police spokesman Shawn Vinson said in an email.

So far one person has been arrested. And, in case you were wondering about what happens when you combined ammonia with bleach it's pretty nasty—and potentially deadly!

Mixing bleach and ammonia is extremely dangerous, since toxic vapors will be produced. The primary toxic chemical formed by the reaction is chloramine vapor, with a potential for hydrazine formation

The fumes are what get ya, although with a little extra ammonia the concoction gets explosive. Stay away! In the event of contamination, move in the opposite direction from the chemicals and call 911. Also, don't get in a chemical fight in the middle of a Wal-Mart. Falling prices? Cool. Falling dead people...not so much. [The Baltimore Sun]

The Capital of Montana is Not "Hannah"

The Hardest Part is Finding the Geeks

Here is my reflection of the day about moving from a tiny, rural community to a large, urban community:  It is just as hard, maybe harder to meet people.  People still move away.  Over the course of the last year I have lost everyone that filled that spot of "hit me up anytime".  And, just like in middle of the New Mexican desert, I'm starting over.
The hardest part isn't finding just any friend.  If I really wanted to get out and make friends, it would be hard.; but there are good social places: kickball teams, soccer teams, flag football teams.  I'm doing those and I have a good time playing around and having a beer afterwards.  But, what I am craving is some good ol' geek time.  And that isn't easy  to come by.   Where the hell do you find the geeks in a new city?  Answer:  The Node.  So, today, I put in my application to join the Baltimore node.  Fingers crossed, one footstep forward.

Baltimore Grand Prix-- Getting Out

I wasn't sure if I wanted to get the hell out of Baltimore this weekend for the Grand Prix, or be in the VIP sections.  I mean, the track runs right by my house, through some of the best parts of Baltimore, allowing me to relive my childhood love of Poll Position.  Then I tried to grab a cab on Thursday.  Races didn't start until Friday, but that didn't stop the flood of people causing more havoc than Irene.
Being a prepared person, I called for my 5PM cab early.  At 11 AM the cab company said it would be a 60 min ride from Federal Hill to Charles Village (normally 15).  At 4PM they called and said they couldn't come because traffic had come to a complete standstill.  So, I was happy with the decision.  Then, I saw this:

...Poll Position...

In the Path of the Hurriquake, Google CR!

Remember when I gushed over how Google was producing some of the most important tools in response to the Japanese quake? No?  How about when I wrote the Street View Car this love letter?  Well, they are already preparing us all with the Crisis Response Center where you can track Irene, and the location of shelters near you.  I stand by my statement.  Google Maps is best gift to humanity in the 21st century.  'Til, the sky dries, xoxo Google.

Earthquake Madness!

This about sums it up:

DC Earthquake Devastation

via famousdc.com

Thanks to all of you for your kind words of support, as we look to recover from the devastation of today's quake!

There were a few casulties at our place.  A tiffany lamp my mom gave me, some picture frames and a shelf and the kind of stuff that sits on shelves.  My favorite part, though, was that anything nailed to the wall is about 15 degrees off center.  All of our pictures and paintings are symetrically crooked.

Otakon, You Have No Idea

It was about this time last year that I nearly stopped dead on Charles with a WTF? Seeing all kinds of brave and gangly teenagers walking down the street in full CosPlay.  Little did I know, they were coming to the anime Mecca, Otakon.  Last year, there were 25,000 people that attended the con and trust me when I say nearly all of them were in full regalia.  Baltimore, in ways, seems an odd location for this geeky get-together, but for a city that doesn't really fit in with the rest of the East Coast, it's also kinda perfect.  Check out the whole gallery at Geeks Are Sexy.

It Will All Make Sense Soon

Dear Alice,

At first it was all

but then it was like

Character




Brokedown Palace

— MOVIECLIPS.com

and now I'm all.

The Right Thing
Brokedown Palace at MOVIECLIPS.com

Love,
Darlene

In the Meantime, IT Revenge

I am working on a synopsis of the past week or so.  It has been busy, U2 and East-West-East trip, and some other goodies.  So to tide you over, here are two things going on in Ol' Baltimore:  NASA is going to be flying planes all over the city looking for pollution, and be careful who you piss off in the IT department.


WASHINGTON -- NASA said it will be sending aircraft over the Baltimore-Washington region beginning next week to help improve how satellites monitor air quality.

NASA said two aircraft will make a series of flights to measure gases and particles in the air. The flights will be coordinated with an extensive network of ground observation sites from the D.C. Beltway to northeast of Baltimore.

NASA has scheduled a news conference for Thursday morning to discuss the flyovers.

The space agency said satellites already monitor many components of air pollution, but it is difficult to use measurements from space to detect pollution near the ground.

The multi-year study is designed to help improve the ability of satellites to measure conditions near the surface.

Read more at WBAL


IT Revenge

Sometimes, revenge is bitter.

The reason for this is that sometimes you get your revenge and then you get, well, caught.

Please consider the feelings of Walter Powell, a 52-year-old IT manager at Baltimore Substance Abuse Systems. Actually, he became a former IT manager there. Which, perhaps stimulated a desire for a little revenge.

I am grateful to The Baltimore Sun for offering this story which begins with revenge, has porn in the middle, and whose denouement is played out in court.

Powell, you see, was reportedly fired in 2009. He wasn't very happy about this, so began to use his significant expertise to tap into his former employer's computer systems, according to the story.

It seems he may have had a piece de resistance in mind. I cannot be sure that this particular piece actually involved any sort of resistance, or even bondage. However, Powell managed to remotely control his former CEO's presentation to the board of directors of this nonprofit organization, which distributes public funds to substance abuse programs.

At the point at which the CEO was to unveil a particular PowerPoint slide and give forth, Powell remotely shut down the system. When it rebooted, there, alas, was porn.

Well, to be precise, it was some kind of a picture of a naked woman on the rather sizable 64-inch screen.

I know that there will be those will admire his ingenuity. I know there will be those who can only imagine the smirk that must have come across his face--and perhaps those of one or two Baltimore Substance Abuse Systems board members--when the lady was projected.

However, court papers show that Powell admitted his guilt--at least to two counts of "unlawful access to a computer causing it to malfunction" and one of "possessing a pass code without authorization."

He reportedly received two years suspended (all but time served), 100 hours of community service, and three years probation. He was also barred from "possessing software that enables remote access and monitoring of other computers."

How, though, might that last part be enforced? He's an IT guy. IT guys know how to do everything surreptitiously.

They can get everything from everywhere with every kind of software. They press a couple of keys in Baltimore and traffic lights stop in Mumbai. They slip a little custom software onto their MacBooks and the prime minister of Montenegro is heard to talk like Donald Duck.

I know that they occasionally get caught.

But you cannot keep a clever IT guy down. What price a porn movie gets projected onto the doors of a courtroom in, say, Baltimore in the very near future?

Read More at CNET.com

Home Sweet Home--A Deer With Wings

EZW: North Edition, Eh

Just when you thought Candians were pissed, comes this gem:

From Esquire: Love in the Time of Rioting (Updated: Backstory of a Kiss)

Certainly the greatest photo from Wednesday night, and maybe ever. More on the night in Vancouver here and more on the hockey here.

UPDATE 2 (3:23 P.M.): Getty Images photographer Rich Lam writes....

I was covering last night's Stanley Cup Playoffs for Getty Images when Vancouver erupted in riots after the Canucks' Game 7 loss to the Boston Bruins. It was complete chaos. Rioters set two cars on fire and then I saw looters break the window at a neighboring department store. At that point, the riot police charged right towards us. After I stopped running, I noticed in the space behind the line of police that two people were laying in the street with the riot police and a raging fire just beyond them. I knew I had captured a "moment" when I snapped the still forms against the backdrop of such chaos but it wasn't until later when I returned to the rink to file my photos that my editor pointed out that the two people were not hurt, but kissing.

Read more: http://www.esquire.com/blogs/politics/vancouver-riots-2011-photo-5929916#ixzz1PTPGhcz9

Crossed Off The List: The Senator Theater

Just because it is crossed off, doesn't mean I wouldn't go back.  This theater caught my attention last week, because it was listed in Flavorwire.com's "Best Movie Theaters in America" list.  Coming in just behind one of my other favorites (The Alamo in Austin), the Senator was prime to-do material.  Luckily, we already had plans to see Super 8.  

 

The Babcock, Billings, MT

Premiere slabs outside The Senator

The Senator, Balimore

Originally opened in 1939, this single-screen, 900-seat Art Deco landmark has been fully restored and currently shows first-run titles. Placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1989, the theater’s lobby includes the original terrazzo floors and murals, and the 40 foot curved screen is revealed at each screening by the opening of a massive gold curtain. In recent years, the Senator has faced threats of auction and foreclosure, but it has managed to stay open thanks to support from the community and City of Baltimore. Our own Judy Berman sings the Senator’s praises: “They’ve had all kinds of trouble staying open, and ownership has changed hands many times, but no matter who owns it, nothing beats the experience of seeing a film in one of America’s few remaining classic movie palaces.”--Flavorwire

Senator Interior

But this landmark, isn't just a new Easterly experience.  In fact, it reminds me of the Babcock theater back home.  It may house bands and boxing today, but I remember my parents dropping me and my brother off to see Beverly Hills Cop II back in the day.  My dad even gave the usher $20 to let us in, even though it was rated-R, so that he and my mom could go out without us.  Since it was the only theater downtown, it worked out well for us, and presumably my parents.

NCAA Lacrosse Championships: Onionized

I almost forgot that this is what I was doing last weekend, until I was reminded by the The Onion.

NCAA Lacrosse National Championship Goes Off Without A Hitch

JUNE 3, 2011 |

BALTIMORE—The NCAA men's Division I collegiate lacrosse championship was successfully contested as expected Monday, crowning the season's winning team as easy as you please. "Both schools got there on time with all their lacrosse equipment, the field was fine, and there were the required number of refs. So we played the game," University of Virginia captain Bray Malphrus said the night after completing the match. "When it was over, the winning team was handed a trophy, pictures were taken, we changed out of our uniforms, and everybody went back to their hotels." Though the NCAA head office and officials directly involved said they were content the game had gone off without a hitch, all admitted it really would not have been a big deal if there had been some problems.

Next Move (East or West) I'm Ditching the Cardboard for RentAGreenBox

Rentagreenbox.com is so brilliant.  The premise is that cardboard boxes suck when moving.  Case-in-point:  I have a storage unit (a year later) that is full of unpacked goods.  Part of the reason is that moving in general sucks.  The other part is that I get recycling pick up once a week and don't want all the left over cardboard hanging around the house.  This means, I take a few boxes at a time.  Well, then I see RentAGreenBox, and my world is turned upside down.
1.  No cardboard
2.  Better packing materials
3.  Nothing to own, use the boxes, give 'em back
4.  Be all envionmentally and stuff

Of course every city you move from and too needs to have a location to retrieve and return boxes.  So who wants to start opening locations?

East To West, What is Your State's Stereotype?

And more importantly, what do you have to say about it...North Dakota?

Jeeze, MT, Y'all Ain't Even Complaining

Until my dad started sending me email forwards this week (much love, dad) I had no idea that the entire state of Montana was basically cut off from everything to the South and East of it... in case you aren't a geography wiz, that's 50% of the routes to get goods into and out of the state.  Interstates 90 and 94 as well as the most used commercial rail lines have been shut down.  In true Montana fashion, everyone seems to be complaining about nothing more than "excessive rain".  I checked on the amount.  4 inches in 36 hours.  That's about 1/4 of what the area gets in a year.

So, ob-v I wasn't too concerned about anything.  But maybe Montanans could give the chillaxing a break and realize that this is some shit.  Or maybe I'm getting soft in my Eastern ways.

Epic Weekend, Maryland Style

I love a nice action-packed weekend.  It seems to make them feel like they last longer.  In that context, this past weekend could have been a month.  Friday night was started with a little TFA mingling, and then dinner at JD's Smoke House in Canton.  Saturday heated up with the Infield at Pimlico for the 136th Preakness.  It rounded out with the Warrior Dash on Sunday, and that is an Epic Weekend.

Preakness:

Cutest little drunk ambulance I ever have seen.

The day started a little shaky.  We had won four tickets to the infield and we bought four tickets to the infield.  Only five of us were going, so that left 3 tickets.  We spent a good 45 minutes walking to various locations that were pointed out to us by "staff" as Will Call.  The final stop became the final stop only because, when we were pointed back to the first place we started 30 minutes earlier, the guy behind the window was tired of telling people just as much as I was tired of walking around.  The result was four "Mug Club" tickets that included both entry and all you can drink beer.  So, it was much worth it.
Next, I learned my lesson for trying to be a nice person.  I still had three tickets.  So, while the gents got their ID's checked for their tickets, I left to give away my three extra.  I walked a few feet and overheard a guy asking about tickets being told they were sold out.  I asked how many he needed.  He said three... perfect!  Have mine.  Then the security guard decided to call the cops, for I was "scalping".  I handed the guy the tickets and walked off.  No arrests were made, and when they spotted me inside I got a Black-Eyed Susan out of the deal.  I think that this cocktail might be one of my favorite things about Maryland so far.  Turns out my ticket recipients, a guy, his girlfriend, and his mom came from Rhode Island to come and had no idea how hard it was to get tickets.  They were really grateful.  Good deed done (right in time for Rapture).
Then, of course there were the pass-outs, make-outs, the race (none of us made much money, although we all came close), and well.... just check the pictures.

Warrior Dash


Sunday was the Warrior Dash.  Kim and I have been planning on this race, and by plan I mean we signed up for it, since January.  I knew it would be tough and fun and it was.  The race start was a bit slow but by the first half mile the crowd thinned through the trail and the obstacles and we crashed through the wall and into the dark, kicking and a' gouging in the mud and the blood and the beer. In the end, I ended up 154 of 670, so not awesome, but not bad for my first race. I got real muddy, had a great time, and drank lots of beer while a band played songs from my high school days.  Nice work, East Coast, nice work.
Warrior Dash

Miss USA Update: Exhibit A

Update:  I'm not making this stuff up, she really is the best.  After I wrote yesterday about my plea for why you should be voting for Brittany Toll, I see this:

East To West, Simply The Best!

Let me start by saying I don't know much about pageants or pageant life.  In fact, one of my first conversations with my then neighbor, and now Miss New Mexico, was an explanation of the difference between Miss America and Miss USA.  In case you aren't sure, the skinny on Miss USA and Miss New Mexico are summed up in the Qwikis below.  I don't know if I have ever watched a pageant or even know the name of any Miss USA's of the past...wait, Shana Mokler, right?  Anyway, I am compelled to compel you to ensure that a person of the highest quality could show the world what we should be celebrating in women and in humanity.  Let's sum it up with a top-5 list of why Brittany Toll is Miss Unbelievably Sharp and Altruistic:

5.  She is simply one of the best Pre-K Teachers I have ever seen in my 9 years of work in public education.  If you have EVER spent more than 15 minutes with a 4-year old, let alone 20, you get it.
4.  She is so down-to-earth and willing to share with anyone.  You'd never think you could find her on the pages Wikipedia.
3.  That girl has some energy.  I have never seen her down.  She will share a smile or a baked good with anyone in her path.
2.  Her incredible beauty is second to her endless talents.
1.  She loves many things completely and absolutely above herself:  Her family, her friends, New Mexico, and giving to others.

If you think these are great traits to share with others, click here! Your vote could put Brittany in the top 10!  Check out her blog, Happy Brittany, too!


View Brittany Toll and over 3,000,000 other topics on Qwiki.


View Miss USA and over 3,000,000 other topics on Qwiki.

East to West, What is Your State's Worst Feature That It is Best At?

I find a lot of these fascinating, but here are my editorials (West to East):

1. Who knew, Washington?  
2. I have lived in Montana and New Mexico, and I think that NM is definitely in the running for drunk driving.
3. I know a pretty good set of attractive North Dakotans.  I dispute this title and would love to know how this was determined.
4. If I lived in PA, I'd be burning shit down too.

Things That (Sigh) Will Never Be East

I just spent my first vacation since moving to Baltimore at home, in Montana.  And it was abundant with things that just will always be home, always be West, always be my favorite things in life.

I landed to a beautiful late April Montana snowstorm, which meant that the upcoming ski trip would be fantastic, and was a much-needed break from what had already become summer in Maryland.  I was on the edge of my seat the whole flight in, a landing can never come soon enough.

In deed, the trip was set for a great turn.  Big Sky had one of the best closing weekends ever.  On top of an already 120 inch base, we were treated to foot after foot of fresh powder each morning, making for sore legs, perfect hot-tubbing conditions, and the necessity for lots of drinks.

And things that are uniquely Montana?  Well here are some pics from the Big Sky Pond Skim.  Click here for the full album.

Cherry Blossom Festival or Beer Today, Gone Tomorrow

Each year, the National Cherry Blossom Festival commemorates the 1912 gift of 3,000 cherry trees from Mayor Yukio Ozaki of Tokyo to the city of Washington, DC. The gift and annual celebration honor the lasting friendship between the United States and Japan and the continued close relationship between the two countries.

I decided to commemorate it by hooking up with my good friend Cristina and check out the festivities.  We were really motivated to walk the Mall from Union station to the Washington Monument.  Unfortunately we were sidetracked by a penchant for an afternoon cocktail.  We found ourselves at Hamilton's amid a rabid group of rugby players celebrating either a monstrous win, or a soul-crushing loss, as determined by the amount of PBR's being passed around.  

Eventually we make it to the end of the mall, but all the Cherry Blossoms were making us thirsty again, so we headed back to Union Station and Capital City Brewing for some of their seasonal Cherry Blossom Wheat Beers, before hitting the tracks back to B'more for a night on  the town.  Click here for the album.

Firearms: East is Not West

This image from my home state (Montana) showed up on The Daily What today.  There was a huge sense in pride seeing The Billings Gazette attributed as the source for this shot.  It instantly made me think about the sign that sits outside the prison in Baltimore, and how East isn't West.
Hamilton, Montana:

Baltimore, Maryland:

The Resident Gaeilge Is On Call With Your Corned Beef Questions

The blog is giving a little St. Paddy's nod to cooking today, as I worked through some things that come from my Western heritage and some new ideas from my Eastern adventures.  
It seems that in every Irish person's life you have to come to terms with the fact that everyone you meet will want you to make them corned beef and cabbage on St. Patrick's Day.  I humbly take on this request, and don't tell anyone, but we don't have a secret family recipe for this dish that my grandma would tell you is "what they feed the bums at the shelters".   That kinda of makes Angela's Ashes seem a bit dramatic now, doesn't it?  Then again, the reason we don't have a family recipe may be because my family has a lot of amazing cooks, and being a great cook does not blend with cooking Irish cuisine. Over the years, I have compensated by creating a "secret family recipe".  The secret is... it takes almost no work to make if you know a few tricks.  Reward for reading my blog?  See tricks below.
So let's start with the West and head East.


Step 1:  Buy a Store-Packaged Corned Beef Brisket (aka ruben cut).  Dump the residual juices from the package in a slow-cooker.  Sear it at very high heat with some olive oil.

Step 2:  Put seared brisket in the slow-cooker with various roots and bulbs.  I like a mix of red and russet potatoes, onion, carrots, and rutabaga.

Step 3:  Rub down the brisket with the seasoning packet enclosed.  Add One bottle of Guinness and fill the rest with water until the veggies are covered.  Put the lid on and cook at low overnight.

Step 4:  You may be saying... HA!  You forgot the cabbage.  Not so... I actually like cabbage.  If you don't, you can throw it in and let it simmer and turn to flavorless slop.  So, the trick is leave the cabbage out until before you are ready to serve.  Slice it into thick strips and saute it with some butter and olive oil, salt and pepper.  What you will get is something that almost tastes like a thick noodle pasta.

Teaser:  Keep going for the Guinness Cheesecake...

You need a good, quick, easy meal to make, since you are really cooking two meals in one day.  Since you saved some money by buying a cheap brisket, splurge on this cheap and quick, yet tasty dinner.  In the East, you can get a lobster tail (have a seat Westerners) for $6!  Snag up one of those per person and steam them to tender (about a minute per ounce).

While it steams prep everything else:  Pick some fresh basil leaves, split some sandwich rolls, slather them with pesto on one side and avocado or guac on the other.  Make a vinaigrette with a tablespoon of dijon mustard, a few tablespoons of olive oil, the juice of a lemon, salt and pepper.  Fry up a few slices of bacon. Slice a few plum or cherry tomatoes.  Add those along with the basil and some mozzarella to your rolls. 

Now that your lobster are done, split the tails, chop the meat, toss in the vinaigrette, and add to the rolls.  I served it up with a simple fruit salad.  C'est si bon! 

Now... the Guiness Cheese Cakes:  I used this recipe from Closet Cooking with the exception of using pre-made, individual crusts instead of making my own.

Guinness Chocolate Cheesecake

One of the most decadent and creamy chocolate cheesecakes around with a shot of Guinness to enhance the chocolate flavour.

Servings: makes 6+ servings

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours
Total Time: 2 hours 10 minutes

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 cup graham cracker crumbs
• 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 12 ounces dark chocolate, chopped
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream
• 3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 3 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup Guinness

Directions

1. Mix the graham cracker crumbs, cocoa powder, sugar, and butter and press into the bottom of a 9 inch spring form pan.
2. Melt the chocolate in the cream in a double boiler.
3. Cream the cream cheese.
4. Mix in the sugar, chocolate, sour cream, eggs, vanilla, and Guinness.
5. Pour the mixture into the spring form pan.
6. Bake in a preheated 350F oven for 60 minutes.
7. Turn off heat and leave cheesecake in the oven with the door slightly ajar for 60 minutes.
8. Let it cool completely.
9. Chill the cheesecake in the fridge overnight.

So it only took about 35 minutes to cook (plus they were cooled to sample last night):

Eat and Enjoy!  Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Ith agus Bain sult as! Lá Fhéile Pádraig Shona!